Parent and Family Fund

The Parent and Family Fund raises money that directly benefits the lives of current students and enhances their academic and co-curricular experience at Mason. Funds raised are used to support strategic initiatives within university/student life and partner offices that provide direct student support services. Parents and families of current students will be contacted annually and are encouraged to participate through financial giving.

Funding Priorities
The Parent and Family Fund seeks to support initiatives with the direct goal of increasing student success through the provision of direct support services. Funds will be awarded to initiatives that meet the following characteristics:

  1. Provide direct student support services including but not limited to: mentoring, coaching, advising, or other student interaction-based initiatives
  2. Increase retention and timely degree completion
  3. Demonstrate financial need
  4. Result in measurable outcomes (defined and assessed by requestor)

Please note the following when submitting your request:

  1. Funding requests for student, faculty, or staff stipends will not be considered.
  2. The maximum award amount for student scholarships is $500 per student.
  3. Repeat requests that have been previously funded by the Parent and Family Fund will be considered, but new requests will be given priority as limited funding is available.
  4. The maximum amount that can be requested is $10,000.

Allocation Process
The Parent and Family Fund will accept one-time funding requests from units within University Life as well as from partner offices across the university. Funds will be allocated once each semester, including fall, spring, and summer, on the following schedule:

  • Spring request deadline: April 1
  • Summer request deadline: August 1
  • Fall request deadline: December 1

Within one month of the allocation deadline requestors will be notified of the outcome.

We are not accepting requests for funding at this time. We hope to return to our regular allocation schedule in 2025.

Reimbursement/Disbursement Process
Funds awarded will be available for immediate use and must be used by the close of the fiscal year in which they were awarded (June 30).  A reimbursement or disbursement report (which report is used depends on the nature of the request) must be submitted within six weeks of funds being spent or disbursed. Submitting the reimbursement or disbursement report will initiate the transfer of funds.

Parent and Family Fund Reimbursement Report
Parent and Family Fund Disbursement Report (this form is to be used for scholarship requests only)

Questions
Questions regarding the Parent and Family Fund allocation process can be directed to Kaitlin Cicchetti, Director of Advancement for University Life, at koyler@gmu.edu.

Allocation Committee
Rose Pascarell, Vice President for University Life
Sally Lorentson, Assistant Vice President, University Life
Amy Snyder, Director of Staff Experience, University Life
Kaitlin Cicchetti, Director, University Life Advancement
Parent and Family Council representative
Student Government Representative